Commentary

Of Counsel

Jeff serves as Of Counsel to PEER, where he specializes in civil service, scientific integrity, and whistleblower protection issues. Jeff was PEER’s Executive Director from 1997 to 2019 and its Pacific Director from 2019 to 2025. Previously, he was the Policy Director and a staff attorney at the Government Accountability Project, representing whistleblowers from both the public and private sectors. Before coming to DC, Jeff worked in California state government for 17 years, mostly in the State Legislature as counsel to various committees where he drafted hundreds of laws on topics ranging from energy conservation to the rights of employed inventors. Jeff served stints as a deputy district attorney and an appellate court clerk. He is a graduate of the California Correctional Officers Academy.

BLOG | Pendley Debacle Unmasks David Bernhardt’s Legal Charades

by Jeff Ruch | September 30, 2020
Judge rules WIlliam Pendley cannot serve as a de facto Director of the BLM despite the anemic arguments to the contrary by David Bernhardt ...

BLOG | COVID-19 Pressure on FDA and CDC Accelerate as Election Nears

by Tim Whitehouse | September 29, 2020
White House pressuring the FDA and CDC to ignore science and stick to political messaging on the COVID-19 pandemic ...

COMMENTARY | BLM Forges Ahead With Nevada Oil and Gas Leasing

by Chandra Rosenthal | September 22, 2020
Public lands in Nevada are being leased for oil and gas extraction despite little financial benefits to government but big losses to the public ...

BLOG | Climate Denier David Legates Joins NOAA

by Tim Whitehouse | September 18, 2020
NOAA appointee Legates is unqualified, illegally appointed, and an eager spokesperson for anti-science/climate denier crusaders ...

COMMENTARY | Another Roll-Back That the Oil and Gas Industry Hoped You Wouldn’t Notice

by Chandra Rosenthal | September 16, 2020
The Forest Service hopes to pass a new rule making it easier for private companies to drill for oil and gas on U.S. National Forests ...

BLOG | The Whistleblower Protection Act is Dead

by Jeff Ruch | September 10, 2020
Major issues with the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), including a large backlog of cases, have rendered the Whistleblower Protection Act dead ...
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